Folding base for stands



(No Model.)

S. E. REUTTER.

FOLDING BASE FOR STANDS.

No. 480,346. Patented Aug. 9, 1892.

WITNESSES.

ATTORNEY.

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UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL E. REUTTER, OF TITUSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING BASE FOR STANDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 480,346, dated August 9, 1892.

Application filed April 8, 1892. Serial No. 428.378. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. REUTTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Titusville, in the county of Crawford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Bases for Stands, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the base or footsupport supporting a stand of any kind where the main support is a single pillar, as a lightstand, music-stand, parlordamp, camp-stool, &c., which requires a broad base to preserve the equilibrium, and where it is convenient to have it pack in small space when not in use, my object being to make the support broad and strong when in use, and which shall fold in compact and convenient form when not in use. v I accomplish this by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the socket and parts applied to the stem, the latter in elevation, showing the base as spread out flat or atright angles to the stem; Fig. 2, a similar view, only showing the tines of the base as inclined downward; Fig. 3, a sectional view with the tines folded and inclosed in a cap or ferrule for conveyance; Fig. 4, a side and top view of one of the base-tines; Fig. 5, a sectional View of the socket connecting the base to the stem; and Fig. 6 a horizontal section on line 00 0c in Fig. 5.

The same letters are used in the several figures to indicate the same or similar parts.

A is the stem or pillar to be supported; B, a socket inclosing the lower end of the pillar. The construction of this socket is more plainly shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Slots a a are cut in the angle at the bottom extending a short distance up the sides and nearly to the center of the bottom, leaving a connecting-body of metal I) in the center to support the bottom against the pressure, hereinafter described.

0 O are the feet or tines, constructed as shown more clearly in Fig. 4, being principally a flat piece of metal, preferably steel, the thickness being equal to the width of the slots at a. On the inner upper corner are the shoulders o c, projecting on each side, preventing the tines from passing entirely through the slots. These tines are insertedin the slots at by passing them through from the inside, when they hang suspended by the shoulders c c, engaging with the bottom on each side of the slot. A follower of rubber or any elastic material is then placed in the socket B and the stem A inserted until it presses slightly on the rubber, preventing the tines from rattling and holding them loosely in any position in which they are placed. When the tines are spread out to a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1, they are prevented from turning upward by the upper edge of the tine bearing against the upper edge of the slot a, while the inner end is held up by the shoulders a resting on the bottom. They now form abroad base for the support of the stem A. Should it be desired to have the tines incline downward, the only change in construction necessary is to make the bottom of the socket'B conical on the inside, as shown in Fig. 2 and by the dotted lines in Fig. 5. Then not in use the tines can be folded downward, occupying a space equal to the interior of the socket B, as shown in Fig. 3. If desired, an outer ferrule E can then be slipped over the whole, protecting all the parts and giving the stem the appearance of a stick or cane with a long ferrule on the bottom.

My device is here illustrated and described as having four supporting-tines placed at right angles. The same principle may be applied for three or any number by changing the number and location of the slots to.

I am aware that there have been many devices for folding bases of stands; therefore I do not claim that, broadly. My device, however, is strong, cheap, compact, and in this surpassing any of which I have ever known.

WVhat I claim as my invention is 1. A folding base for the support of a stand or camp-stool, consisting of three or more tines or feet, each tine being a flat piece of metal with square projection 0 upon each side, in combination with a socket having slots cut in the lower corner equal in number to the number of tines andequal in width to the body of the tine, the tines being inserted in the slots from within and supported by the projections a, resting on the bottom and sides of the slots, said socket being adapted to receive a center support or standard, the tines when extended being held as a support by the the slots a, the rubber follower D, adapted to I0 upper edge bearing against the upper edge of be compressed between the end of the stem the slot and the projection 0, bearing on the A and the tines 0, all constructed as shown bottom, substantially as shown and described. and working in combination, substantially as 5 2. A folding base for the support of a single shown and described.

stem, consisting of the socket B, adapted to re- SAMUEL E. REUTTER. ceive the lower end of the stem, said socket Witnesses: having the slots a cut therein, the tines O, A. 13.1-IOWLAND,

having the shoulders c c thereon inserted in I I JOSEPH SMITH. 

